Man dies in police custody

A 50-year-old man died in police custody while being treated at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases on Friday evening.

Family members of Alal Uddin, caretaker of a building at the capital's Baunia Bandh, said Alal was in good health when he was picked up by detectives on June 6 and he had died of torture.

But police said they arrested Alal on June 10.

Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said Alal already had problems in his leg when the Detective Branch of police detained him.

He added that police took Alal to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation [NITOR] as per a court order.

He added that Alal was moved to the NICVD from NITOR after his blood pressure shot up.

Police detained him in connection with the murder of a woman on June 6 at the building where he worked, his cousins Reaz Uddin and Zahidul Islam said, adding that Alal was working at the building when he was picked by the DB men. Reaz said he was there when the officers took him on June 6.

Reaz and Zahid both said Alal's body bore injury marks on the right arm and leg.

"My brother Alal was in good health when the DB took him. Then all of a sudden we were informed that he had died at the cardiovascular diseases hospital. When we went to the hospital, we were told that his body had been sent to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation [NITOR]," Reaz Uddin told The Daily Star.

The authorities at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) said Alal was admitted to the NITOR on June 10.

According to the death certificate, Alal was admitted to NITOR following a court order with injuries to his right ankle.

The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue yesterday evening for autopsy.